Toy typewriter



Dec. 19,1950 5, 1, BERGER 2,534,399

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l A'ITORNEY5 Dec. 19,1950 s, 1, BERGER 2,534,399

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSamaeZlBePgen 0W s y 4 421% ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 19, 1 950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE TOY TYPEWRITER Samuel I. Berger, Newark,'N. J.

Application November 19, 1947, Serial No. 786,903

It is among the objects of my present invention to provide a toytypewriter which has all the advantages of that of my prior applicationsSerial No. 658,318, filed March 29, 19 26, and since issued as PatentNo. 2,486,702, dated November 1, 1949, Serial No. 724,043, filed January24, 1947, and since issued as Patent No. 2,458,137, dated January 4,1949, and Serial No. 731,318, filed February 2'7, 1947, and my previousissued Patent No. 2,398,765, dated April 23, 1946, including the usesubstantially solely of sheet metal and rod stock to simulate theappearance of a genuine portable typewriter by a greatly simplifiedconstruction and which has the further advantage over said priorinventions of enhanced reliability in inking.v

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy typewriter according to the presentinvention, showing its general appearance with the simulated keyboardand associated structure in place thereon,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken along line 2-2 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the key lever depressed,showing the type wheel in typing position,

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the type head and inking mechanismtaken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ink roller mount.

Since the construction in its general outline follows closely that ofthe applications and patent above identified, being substantiallysimilar to the construction shown in application Serial No. 731,318,only so much of the construction has been shown as is needed to afford aclear understanding of the present improvements, and the generaldescription will be correspondingly brief.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in Fig. 1, the toy typewritersimulates the appearance of a modern portable typewriter presenting asit does a base I! supported obliquely as shown, by legs l1, and having asimulated standard keyboard l2 thereon. This keyboard may be directly.printed on the rectangular platform l3 or printed on a rectangular sheetmetal plate which is affixed to the surface of the platform. A standardat the center of the base supports the operating mechanism of the deviceand a platen structure It is mounted on the base to the rear of thestandard. Inasmuch as the platen structure I4 is substantially identicalwith 6 Claims. (Cl. 197-47) 2 that of my prior application Serial No.731,318, it will not be further described.

A key lever is is pivoted on an axle 20, the latter being journalled inside walls 2| rising from the lateral edges of a rectangular bracket 22affixed to the platform l3. Each of the arms 24 of the key lever I9 ispivoted to a link 25, the upper end of said link being pivoted by meansof an axle 26 to the obliquely extending arms 39 of a substantiallyU-shaped sheet metal carriage 3| which supports a U-shaped bracket 33depending therefrom. The end of each of said oblique arms 30 is pivotedas at 32 to upstanding ears 2? rising from the rear end of each side ofthe bracket 22.

A type wheel 35 having on its periphery the type heads comprising thesequence of letters and numerals, is provided, affixed to asubstantially upright axle 36 journalled in bearing openings 31 and 38in bracket 33 and carriage 3|, respectively, and protruding therefrom,the axle in position of rest bein at substantially right angles toplatform |3.

The type wheel 35 is adjustable to a selected setting by means of arotatable cup shaped knob 45, preferably integral with rotatable dial 39which bears the sequence of letters and numerals on its upper surface,and which is afiixed to the protruding end of axle 36 by set screw 4|. Apointer 41 struck out from carriage 3| and positioned so as to be nearthe periphery of said dial 39 indicates the selected setting thereof. Acoil spring 43 surrounding said axle 36 between the type wheel and thecarriage serves to take up any looseness and retain the axle in positionbetween carriage 3| and bracket 33.

Ratchet means which includes a horizontal ratchet wheel 48 interposedbetween bracket 33 and type wheel 35 and affixed to axle 36 by a setscrew 49 is preferably provided to step the type wheel around ineffecting setting thereof by the turning of knob 45. As this mechanismhas been fully described in my above identified applications and patent,it will not be more fully described herein.

The construction thus far described is not per se claimed herein as itis the subject of my prior patent and applications above identified.

According to the present invention, a substantially U-shaped bracket 50is provided for applying ink to the type heads. The arms 5| and 52 ofbracket 50 are pivotally mounted on substantially upright axle 35 so asto straddle the type wheel 35 with arm 52 extending beneath bracket 33and arm 5| resting against the top of type wheel 35 and being heldthereagainst by coil spring 43 so that the bracket acts as a crank inthe manner hereinafter set forth.

- The vertical cross piece 53 of crank 50, which extends beyond theperiphery of the type wheel, has a pair of tongues 54 struck outtherefrom and at right angles thereto forming a slot 55 in the crosspiece. The tongues carry a vertical rod 51 on which is rotatably mounteda sleeve 58 to which an ink retaining absorbent roller 59, which isitself conventional, is afiixed. The roller is of such diameter that aportion of its periphery will extend through slot 56 and abut againstthe type heads on the periphery of the type wheel.

Arm 52 of the crank has an ear SI rigid therewith and extendinglaterally therefrom at one edge thereof. Pivotally connected to ear asat 62 is one end of a link 63. The other end of the link 63 is pivotallyconnected as at E54 to the upper end of an upstanding arm 65, the lowerend of which is amxed to platform l3.

In the normal or idle position of the machine, the ink roller 59 is inengagement with the type wheel as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When thetype wheel 35 is rotated by knob 45 to select the desired letter to beprinted, the ink roller will also rotate to cover with ink the typeheads rolled thereover.

To imprint the selected letter on the paper, key lever I9 is depressed,thereby pivoting carriage 3| about its pivots 32 from idle positionshown in Fig. 2 to operating position shown in Fig. 3.

During the course of the-movement of carriage 3| with axle 36 and crank58 thereon, toward the platen, link 63, which does not move forwardinasmuch as it is pivotally connected at one end to arm 65 rigid withthe platform, will thereupon pull on ear 6| of arm 52 to which it isconnected, thereby causing crank 55 to rotate about axle 35 in acounterclockwise direction from the position shown in solid lines inFig. 4 to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4.

As the crank 50 rotates on axle 36, roller 59 will ride over a portionof the periphery of type Wheel 35, thereby inking the type headsthereon. In the fully depressed position of key lever [9, when theselected type has contacted the paper, crank 58 will have been rotatedby link 63 so that roller 59 thereon will completely have cleared theplaten structure M, as best shown in Fig. 4. Thus there is no danger ofthe roller contacting the paper during the printing operation to causesmudging and blotting of the paper.

Upon release of the key lever IS, the weight of the carriage 3! willcause the latter to pivot to its idle position. During the course ofsuch movement, link 63 will push on ear 62, thereby rotating crank 5a")in a clockwise direction on axle 36 so that roller '59 will return toits original position ready for the next letter to be imprinted.

To enclose the operating mechanism supported by side walls 21 of bracket22, a substantially U-shaped cover piece 8'! is provided which isaflixed to the base of the bracket '22. Key lever i9 has a panel 88unitary therewith and extending upwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2and 3. When key lever i9 is at rest position, panel 89 will enclose thetype wheel and its associated mechanism. Panel 89 has an inwardly turnedlip 98- to which are aiii-xed rubber bumpers at which abut against adownwardly turned skirt 92 on the front of carriage 3| when the latterhas pivoted to rest position under the influence of gravity after keylever l9 has been released.

Bumpers 9i and skirt 92 serve as a stop to properly position thecarriage in rest position and prevent bracket 33, which depends fromcarriage 3!, from hitting cover 81 which is of relatively thin sheetmetal, and possibly denting said cover and jamming the mechanismthereunder.

Thus by the construction herein described, a relatively inexpensive toytypewriter is provided which is simple to operate .and which functionswithout danger of jamming of the mechanism thereof and Without smudgingof the imprinted letters or numerals.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 01 the United States is:

1. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platenstructure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a carriage pivotedon said base, a type wheel having a substantially upright axle bearingin said carriage, means pivotally mounted on said axle to ink said typewheel, said means comprising a substantially U- shaped crank, the armsof which straddle said type wheel, and an absorbent roller pivotallymounted on the cross piece of said crank and in engagement with theperiphery of said type wheel, a dial afiixed to the upper end of saidaxle to rotate the latter and said type Wheel thereon, and a pointerrigid with said carriage and coacting with said dial to indicate thesetting thereof.

2. The combination vset forth in claim 1, in which means are provided topivot said crank on said axle, thereby moving said roller across aportion of the periphery of said type-wheel to ink the type headsthereon.

3. In a typewriter mechanism of the type comprising a base, a platenstructure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a carriage pivotedon said base, means to pivot said carriage, a substantially upright axlebearing in said carriage, a type wheel affixed on said axle and coactingwith said platen as said carriage is pivoted, a dial affixed to theupper end of said axle to rotate the latter and the type wheel thereon,ratchet means coacting with said type wheel for retaining the latter inset position, and a pointer rigid with said carriage to indicate thesetting of said type wheel; the combination therewith of means pivotallymounted on said axle to ink said type wheel as said carriage is pivotedand before said type wheel coacts with said platen, said meanscomprising a substantially U-shaped crank having a pair of armspivotally mounted on said substantially upright axle, an ink absorbentroller mounted on the cross piece of said crank and in engagement withsaid type wheel, an ear extending laterally from the lower arm of saidcrank and a link pivotally connected to said ear and to the base of saidtypewriter whereby, when said carriage is pivoted, said crank will bepivoted about said axle by the action of said link to move said rollerhorizontall across said type wheel.

4. In a typewriter mechanism of the type comprising a base, a platenstructure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a bracket .affixedto said base, a carriage pivoted on said bracket, a substantiallyupright axle bearing in said carriage and having affixed thereon incoaxial relation therewith, a, ratchet wheel and a type wheel, saidratchet wheel retaining said type wheel in set position, means forrocking said carriag on said bracket from rest to typing position tomove said type wheel into contact with said platen, said meanscomprising a key lever pivoted to said bracket and having a panelunitary therewith and extending upwardly therefrom to conceal said typeWheel and said ratchet wheel when said carriage is in rest position, anda link connecting said key lever to said carriage for pivoting thelatter, said panel having an inwardly turned lip at the upper edgethereof which abuts against said carriage to limit the movement thereofas it pivots to rest position; the combination therewith of asubstantially U- shaped crank having a pair of arms pivotally mounted onsaid substantially upright axle and straddling said type wheel, a pairof opposed tongues struck out from the cross piece of said crank andforming a slot therein in juxtaposition to the periphery of said typewheel, an ink absorbent roller rotatably mounted between said tongues,extending through said slot and in engagement with said type wheel, anear extending laterally from the lower arm of said U-shaped crank, and alink pivotally connected to said ear and to the base of said typewriter,whereby when said carriage is pivoted, said crank will be pivoted aboutsaid axle by the action of said link to move said roller horizontallabout said type wheel.

5. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platenmounted on said base, a bracket affixed to said base, a substantially U-rality of bumpers afiixed to said lip, said bumpers abutting against thedownwardly turned skirt on said carriage to limit the movement of thelatter as it pivots to rest position.

6. As an article of manufacture, a substantially U-shaped crank having apair of arms, a pair of opposed tongues struck out from the cross pieceof said crank and forming a slot therein, an ink absorbent rollerrotatably mounted between said tongues and extending through the slot insaid cross piece, and an ear extending laterally from the lower arm ofsaid U-shaped crank.

SAMUEL I. BERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 448,079 Robertson Mar. 10, 18911,119,777 Carroll Dec. 1, 1914 2,096,085 Boisselier Oct. 19, 1937

